Autonomous container ship with hull incorporating a propulsion system

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns an autonomous container ship comprising a bottom, a propulsion system, a loading and unloading system for loading and unloading containers, a balancing system, characterized in that the bottom has a hull incorporating a propulsion system and the ship comprises a carrying system for transporting containers from important ports equipped with facilities for loading and unloading containers to small ports not provided with such equipment and less than 4 meters deep. The ship includes a propulsion system ensuring the ship&#39;s cruising speed on the high seas and its speed in estuaries and ports, a loading and unloading system adapted to ports not provided with appropriate equipment, and a balancing system for balancing the ship at sea providing stability and trim during container handling operations.

This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/214,104 filed Feb. 3, 1999.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to an autonomous container ship with a hullcontaining a propulsion system. This ship is able to transportcontainers from large ports equipped with a loading system and unloadthem at small ports lacking such equipment.

2. Description of the Related Art

The transport of goods is indeed one of the mainsprings of our marketeconomy. The globalization of international trade, the development of“just in time” policies, and the increasing demand for responsivenessare continuously fostering the growth of land transport with developmentof costly highway infrastructures harmful to the environment.

Numerous container ships with a large container-carrying capacity anddeep draft exists such as those described in Jane's IntermodalTransportation, pages 315, 338, and 341. One example of theselarge-capacity container ships is the ALIANCA BRASIL with a capacity of2200 containers, a speed of 20.4 knots, a length of 200.23 m, and adraft of 12.0 m. One of the smallest of these container ships is theHERA with a capacity of 198 containers, a speed of 12.5 knots, a lengthof 88 m, and a draft of 4.6 m.

These container ships generally unload in ports equipped with heavyhandling equipment. Ports able to receive existing container ships arefew in number and cannot deliver goods close to their utilization sites.

The keels may of different types.

They may of the single-hulled type.

They may also be of the multi-hulled catamaran or trimaran typedepending on whether they have two or three hulls.

Depending on specific needs, the keel may be of the mixed type known asmonocatamaran, namely single-hulled at the bow and catamaran at thestern.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,696 describes a monocatamaran whose hull has beenspecially designed for hydrodynamic flow considerations under the waterline to increase the speed and stability of the ship. These are thegoals of the present invention, but focusing on a particular applicationof the type of container ship considered, namely with a large payload inrelation to its displacement and stability of the ship during handlingoperations.

In order to increase the speed of the ship and decrease fuel costs,tunnel hulls accommodating thrusters, particularly screw propellers,have been proposed.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,371,350 discloses a ship with a thruster tunnel having atransverse configuration favorable to hydrodynamic flow along the streamlines. These concerns of improving hydrodynamic flow are found in thepresent invention but they are incorporated into a special architecturalprinciple responding to the above-defined objectives.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In particular, the invention relates to a range of small andmedium-sized ships that can carry merchandise from one small port toanother in containers.

This range is composed of ships able to transport a maximum number ofcontainers equal to two, four, ten, twenty, thirty, fifty, and ahundred.

A principal feature of the ship is its full autonomy, enabling it toload and/or unload containers in a port not equipped with a handlingsystem and having a water depth of less than 4 meters.

The range of ships according to the invention arose from this view withthe concern of developing complementarity between highway transport andsea/river transport.

The goal is to provide sea links to serve a multitude of inland portsthat have been exploited little or not at all for goods transport.Another goal is for highway container carriers to load goods from theseports for local distribution to optimize land delivery distances.

One of the objectives of the present invention is to provide truckingcompanies with a mobile “sea/river superhighway” infrastructure matchingthe land superhighway system.

A second objective is to increase the responsiveness of sea-landtransportation by shipping small quantities at frequent intervals.

A third objective is to provide river/sea service with substantialindependence of maneuver, an optimized dock-to-dock path, andunloading/loading systems matching these constraints. This objectiveimplies being able to carry a payload which is large relative to thedisplacement of the ship.

A fourth objective is to provide transportation under service andmileage conditions comparable to those of highways.

The purpose of the tunnels in the stem of the hull is, according to theinvention:

to build a flush-fitting propulsion system into the hull,

to protect the propulsion elements from jolts when sailing in shallowwaters,

to improve the efficiency of the propulsion system by flow of streamlines toward the stem of the ship,

to clear the stem of the ship so that it can come closer to the banks.

To meet the above-defined objectives, the invention relates to anautonomous container ship of the type having a keel, a propulsionsystem, a container loading and unloading system, and a balancingsystem, characterized in that the keel is of the type wherein the hullcontains the propulsion system and in that the ship has a carryingsystem for carrying containers from large ports equipped with acontainer loading and unloading system to small ports lacking suchequipment and having a water depth less than 4 meters. The ship includesa propulsion system that allows the ship to sail at cruising speed atsea and at estuary and port speeds, a loading and unloading systemadapted to these ports lacking equipment, and a balancing system forbalancing the ship at sea serving to stabilize and trim the ship duringhandling.

This container ship is moreover characterized in that the propulsionsystem also ensures maneuverability in ports.

In addition, the ship according to the invention enables a large payloadrelative to its displacement to be carried. This goal is achieved byequipment providing a common power supply for propulsion and handling,and a handling system usable both on board and on land.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The attached drawings show preferred embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a lateral bottom view of a ship according to the invention ofthe monocatamaran type equipped with a portal crane;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the same ship of the monocatamaran typeequipped with a portal crane and a ramp at the stem;

FIG. 3 is a lateral bottom view of a ship according to the invention ofthe single-hulled plus tunnel type; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the same single-hulled tunnel type shipequipped with a portal crane and a ramp at the stem.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The range of ships according to the invention comprises ships able tocarry 2, 4, 10, 20, 30, 50, and 100 containers.

The containers are in two sizes:

20-foot containers (6.058×2.438×2.591 meters);

40-foot containers (12.116×2.438×2.591 meters).

The tonnage of the ship range according to the invention is listed inthe table below:

Number of 2 4 10 20 30 50 100 containers Overall 25 35 48 65 74 88 111Length (m) Tonnage (t) 100 200 500 1000 1500 2500 5000

These ships are designed on identical architectural principles. They canhence be built from modules.

The power required for operation is supplied by a diesel generator.

Propulsion is provided by a diesel engine, drive shaft plus propellers,or by hydrojets.

The propulsion system is electric-motor-driven.

The loading and unloading system is comprised of a portal crane and aramp.

The combination of these various characteristics allows onearchitectural principle to be used for this range of ships.

Moreover, it must be possible to build the ship at a cost offeringinvestors an alternative to highway transportation.

With this in mind, the technological solutions leading to economicallyviable solutions must have the following characteristics.

The ship must enable a large payload relative to its displacement to becarried.

The equipment must be as versatile as possible, implying a common powersupply for propulsion and handling, a handling system that can be usedboth on board and on land, a propulsion system allowing the ship to sailat cruising speed and at estuary and port speed, and maneuverability inports, with a balancing system that balances the ship at sea alsoserving to balance it during handling operations.

The range of ships according to the invention has autonomy in thefollowing areas:

navigation: slow and rapid propulsion and navigation at sea,

crew quarters: facilities enabling a crew of 3 to 5 individuals to livefor several days on board,

handling: a handling system enabling the ship to load and unloadcontainers in unequipped ports,

balancing: a balancing system ensures transverse stability and trim ofthe ship when sailing and during container handling operations.

FIG. 1 illustrates a ship according to the invention including:

a keel 1 of the single-hulled type at the bow and catamaran at thestern,

a portal crane 2,

containers 4,

a propulsion system with propellers 5, and a balancing system 8.

The ship shown has a keel of the monocatamaran type defined aboveenabling it to sail at between 15 and 20 knots.

The power necessary for operation is provided by a diesel generator.

The propulsion system is comprised of an electric motor, drive shaft,and stem propellers.

According to one embodiment not shown, the propellers are replaced byhydrojets.

Handling is provided by a portal crane 2 and a ramp mounted at the stemenabling the containers to be taken on board and placed on a trucktrailer at the dock.

The ship is balanced by a ballast system controlled by the stabilitycharacteristics of the ship.

The ship shown has the following characteristics:

overall length 65 m width 11 m displacement at full load 1100 t draft2.6 m number of containers 20 maximum speed 17 knots

FIG. 2 shows the stern-mounted handling device.

It shows a portal crane 2 and a loading and unloading ramp 3.

Portal crane 2 is driven by an electric motor accommodated in the portalcrane or its wheels, and a balancing system 8.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a ship according to the invention comprising:

a keel 6 of the single-hulled type with a tunnel 7 along the axis and atthe stern of the keel,

a portal crane 2,

a ramp 3,

containers 4,

a propulsion system with a propeller 5, and a balancing system 8.

The tunnels of the hull in particular improve the efficiency ofpropulsion in shallow-water ports.

As an alternative, two or three tunnels could be considered, forinstalling two or three propulsion systems.

The cross section of the tunnel may be a rounded omega or pointed omegashape.

The power required for operation is supplied by a diesel generator.

The propulsion means are comprised of an electric motor, drive shaft,and a propeller at the stern.

According to one variant not shown, the propeller is replaced by ahydrojet in the tunnel.

Handling is provided by a portal crane 2 and a ramp 3 mounted at thestern.

The ship is balanced by a ballast system responding to the stabilitycharacteristics of the ship.

The ship shown has the following characteristics:

overall length 65 m width 11 m displacement at full load 1100 t draft2.8 m number of containers 20 maximum speed 18 knots

FIG. 4 shows the maintenance device mounted at the stem.

It shows a portal crane 2 and a loading and unloading ramp 3.

Portal crane 2 is driven by an electric motor accommodated in the portalcrane or in the wheels thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A self propelled container ship, comprising: atleast one propulsion and maneuvering system; a keel having at least onerecessed part, the propulsion and maneuvering system being positioned inthe at least one recessed part so the ship has a draft less than fourmeters; a balancing system for balancing the ship; and a powered cargohandling system movable relative to the keel and adapted to handlecontainers inside the ship and to move containers inside and outside theship for loading and unloading containers, wherein the powered cargohandling system includes a motorized portal crane at a stem of the shipand a moveable ramp.
 2. The container ship of claim 1, wherein the keelhas at least a stern formed with the at least one recessed part.
 3. Thecontainer ship of claim 2, wherein the at least one recessed part is alongitudinally extending tunnel.
 4. The container ship of claim 2,wherein the propulsion and maneuvering system is contained within the atleast one recessed part.
 5. The container ship of claim 3, wherein thepropulsion and maneuvering system is contained within the longitudinallyextending tunnel.
 6. The container ship of claim 5, wherein the keelcomprises a single-hulled keel at the ship's bow and a double-hulledkeel at the ship's stern.
 7. The container ship of claim 4, wherein thekeel comprises a single-hulled keel at the ship's bow and adouble-hulled keel at the ship's stern.
 8. The container ship of claim1, wherein the motorized portal crane includes wheels.
 9. The containership of claim 1, wherein the at least one recessed part of the keel isformed at the stern.
 10. The container ship of claim 1, wherein thepowered cargo handling system is movable longitudinally at the ship'sstern and outside the ship.
 11. The container ship of claim 10, whereinthe motorized portal crane includes wheels.
 12. The container ship ofclaim 5, wherein the motorized portal crane is wheeled andself-propelled.
 13. The container ship of claim 5, wherein the poweredcargo handling system is movable longitudinally at the ship's stern andoutside the ship.
 14. The container ship of claim 5, wherein themotorized portal crane includes wheels.
 15. The container ship of claim4, wherein the motorized portal crane is wheeled and self-propelled. 16.The container ship of claim 4, wherein the powered cargo handling systemis movable longitudinally at the ship's stern and outside the ship. 17.The container ship of claim 4, wherein the motorized portal craneincludes wheels.
 18. A self propelled container ship, comprising: atleast one propulsion and maneuvering system; a keel having at least onerecessed part and at least a stem formed with the at least one recessedpart, the propulsion and maneuvering system being positioned in the atleast one recessed part so the ship has a draft less than four meters; abalanced system for balancing the ship; and a powered cargo handlingsystem movable relative to the keel and adapted to handle containersinside the ship and to move containers inside and outside the ship forloading and unloading containers, wherein the powered cargo handlingsystem includes a motorized portal crane at a stem of the ship and amoveable ramp.